Services

The following programs are provided through a partnership with the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs:

Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP)

The Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is a federally-funded program that provides a one-time vendor payment to help eligible households pay their heating bills. We are committed to providing energy education to American Indian citizens, with the goal of enhancing lives by improving knowledge and empowering you to make positive changes in your home to improve energy efficiency and save money.

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program

The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing for eligible families regardless of race, religion or political affiliation in the private market. Program funds are awarded to the program by HUD through Annual Contributions Contracts and are used to subsidize the difference between the cost of rent and a maximum of 30 percent of the household’s adjusted gross income.

Office hours in Sampson County are from 9:30-12 each Tuesday and Thursday (other than state holidays). If we take applications, it will be in May, so check the Commission’s webpage in April for dates and times.

American Indian Workforce Development Program (WIOA)

The commission’s WIOA program provides Classroom Training assistance, Work Experience, and Job Search and Placement Assistance services to eligible American Indian clients.

The ultimate goal of our assistance and services is to: (1) increase academic, occupational, and literacy skills among the American Indian population; (2) increase American Indian workers’ abilities to be competitive in the workforce, thus helping them to achieve personal and economic self-sufficiency, and; (3) to promote the social and economic development in North Carolina Indian communities.

To determine eligibility for the commission’s WIOA Section 166 program, a program application must be completed and submitted to one of our WIOA offices.

The program manager is Elk Richardson elk.richardson@doa.nc.gov in the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs office in Raleigh (919) 807-4440. All local services and coordination are handled by Sue Faircloth Sue.Faircloth@doa.nc.gov (910) 564-6726, who is the commission’s workforce development staff in the Coharie tribal area field office located in Sampson County.

More about the NC Commission of Indian Affairs

The North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs was created in 1971 by the North Carolina General Assembly in response to the requests of concerned Indian citizens from across the state. The Commission was established pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes 143B-404 through 143B-411.

The Commission has eight statutory duties outlined in its enabling legislation as follows:

Investigate relief needs of Indians and assist in preparation of plans for the alleviation of such needs

Confer with appropriate officials of local, state and federal governments

Review all legislation concerning Indians

Conduct public hearings on matters relating to Indian affairs and subpoena any information deemed necessary

Study the existing status of recognition of all Indian groups, tribes and communities

Establish appropriate procedures for legal recognition by the state and provide for official recognition

Initiate procedures for recognition by the federal government

The Commissions goals include:

Increase and maximize educational opportunities for Indians in North Carolina

Increase the economic self-sufficiency of Indians in North Carolina and maximize Indian economic development initiatives

Achieve parity in employment for Indians of North Carolina

Improve the health status of Indians in North Carolina

Increase the public awareness of Indians

Provide for the state and/or federal recognition of North Carolina Indian tribes

Promote recognition of and the right of Indians to pursue cultural and religious traditions considered by them to be sacred and meaningful and to promote public understanding and appreciation of Indian culture